US Army Corps of Engineers

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Willamette Biological Opinion ImplementationDecember 12, 2012

Ian Chane

Acting Biological Opinion Implementation Program Manager

Portland District

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Detroit

Blue RiverCougar

Hills Creek

Lookout Point

Foster

Fall Creek

Dexter

Big Cliff

Green Peter

Willamette Project13 multi-purpose

dams

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Authorized purposes

Flood damage reduction

Hydropower Navigation Irrigation Fish & wildlife Recreation Water quality Municipal & industrial

water supply

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Willamette Project Biological Opinions:Consultation under the ESA

Federal Action Agencies prepare Biological Assessments (BA) describing effects of actions on ESA-listed fish

NMFS and USFWS issue Biological Opinions (“BiOps”) that tell Action Agencies how to reduce impacts

Two biological opinions (NMFS and USFWS) issued on July 11, 2008 after eight years of “ESA Consultation”

► Biological Opinions cover 15 years (through 2023) Proposed Action Includes:

► Continued operation of 13-dam complex► Continued maintenance of 42 miles of revetments► Operation of hatchery program

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Willamette BiOp Major Actions

Downstream Passage Upstream Passage Water Quality Instream Flows/Ramp

Rates Hatcheries

ESA-Listed Resident Fish Species

Oregon chub bull trout

winter steelhead spring Chinook salmon

ESA-Listed Anadromous Fish Species

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Willamette Action Team for Ecosystem Restoration (WATER)

Teams and Workgroups

Manager’s Forum

Steering Team

Fish Passage & Hatchery Management

(FPHM)

Flow Management & Water Quality

RM&E Team

Habitat Tech Team (HTT)

Public Affairs TeamConfigurations

Operations Plan (COP)

Reservoir Regulation

Corps Team/Process

WATER TeamAssesses technical feasibility, designs

Coordinates modeling & operational feasibility

Assesses feasibility, integrates, and prioritizes actions and

Other Work Groups

DesignTeams/PDTs

assesses biological benefits of actions

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Willamette Basin Dams• Operated primarily for

flood damage reduction (storage)

• High-head dams• Located in tributaries• All lifestages present

Mainstem Columbia Dams• Operated primarily for hydropower, run-of-river; in series on

mainstem• Primarily migration concerns (adult/juvenile)

Columbia/Willamette Comparison

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spawning habitat

Downstream Habitat Improvements• Flow• Temperature• Hatchery

improvements• Habitat Restoration

Projects

Upstream fish passage for adults via “trap-and-haul”• Cougar• Minto• Foster• Dexter• Fall Creek• Adult Release Sites

Evaluate Downstream Fish Passage Improvements• Cougar• Lookout Point• Detroit

Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation

Willamette BiOp Actions: A life-cycle approach

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Implementation Updates

Instream Flows► Data collection completed on N. & S. Santiam► Evaluation underway

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Implementation Updates Water Quality

► Temperature Control Operations► Cougar WTC (Detroit – Alternatives Study)► Total Dissolved Gas

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Spawning Begins 9/1

North and South Santiam Average Daily Temperatures and North Santiam Temperature Targets

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Spawning Begins 9/1

Middle Fork Willamette, South Fork McKenzie and Fall Creek Average Daily Temperatures and Cougar Temperature Targets

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Adult Fish Facility Updates Adult Fish Collection Facilities

► Cougar – SF McKenzie completed (3rd year)► Minto – N. Santiam complete in spring 2013► Foster – South Santiam under construction ► Dexter – Middle Fork Willamette in design phase► Fall Creek – Fall Creek (MF Willamette) alternatives study phase

Adult Release Sites► Improvements complete in 2013

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Downstream Passage Updates McKenzie Subbasin

► RM&E on-going ► Drawdown operations 2012-2013► Alternatives Assessment underway

Middle Fork Willamette Subbasin► Fall Creek drawdown► RM&E on-going

South Santiam Subbasin► Foster fish weir operations

North Santiam Subbasin► RM&E on-going

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